RoadVitals

2006 Thomas Built Buses Ef

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Mar 23, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Thomas Built Buses Ef. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07V135000

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Mar 23, 2007
329 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MY 2006 AND 2007 THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, FS-65, C2, HDX, AND EF SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 6 AND SEPTEMBER 6, 2006, EQUIPPED WITH RICON WHEELCHAIR PLATFORM LIFT MODELS S2003, S2005, S2010, S5503, S5505, S5510, K2003, K2005, K2010, K5503, K5505, K5510. THE LIFTS INTERLOCK SWITCH SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A PASSENGER (EITHER WHEELCHAIR OR STANDEE) ON THE PLATFORM LIFT WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.
The risk: THE DEFECT INVOLVES THE INTERLOCK SWITCH SYSTEM IN THE LIFT NOT DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF A PASSENGER (EITHER WHEELCHAIR OR STANDEE) ON THE RICON WHEELCHAIR PLATFORM LIFT. IN THE EVENT THIS CONDITION OCCURS DURING PASSENGER OPERATIONS IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR THE WHEELCHAIR TO TIP BACKWARDS ONTO THE PLATFORM WHEN THE PLATFORM WAS LOWERED. THIS COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE WHEELCHAIR'S OCCUPANT. ALSO, ANYONE STANDING ON THE PLATFORM COULD LOSE HIS OR HER BALANCE AND FALL, RESULTING IN INJURY.
The remedy: FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REPAIR THE AFFECTED BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON AUGUST 6, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FREIGHTLINER'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 800-385-4357 OR CONTACT RICON AT 800-322-2884.
FREIGHTLINER LLCManufacturer number FL-492View on NHTSA.gov
06V136000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Apr 25, 2006
11,666 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MY 2004 THROUGH 2006 THOMAS BUILT HDX, EF, AND FS-65 SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 4, 2004, AND FEBRUARY 14, 2006. THE BODY POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (PDM) WAS MANUFACTURED WITH COPPER CIRCUITS THAT ARE TOO THIN FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOADS ENCOUNTERED, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE BOARD TO OVERHEAT.
The risk: IF THE PDM OVERHEATS IT MAY GENERATE SMOKE AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REPLACE THE PDM'S THIN COPPER CIRCUITS WITH THICKER COPPER CIRCUITS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-877-660-4938.
FREIGHTLINER LLCManufacturer number FL-475View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE09047ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

THROTTLE STICKS ON FLOOR PLATE

Opened Sep 30, 2009
Closed Jan 4, 2010

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER AFLEET SUPERVISOR SUBMITTED A VOQ ON A MODEL YEAR 2008 THOMAS BUILT EF SCHOOL BUS AND REPORTED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STICK AND WON'T RELEASE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ON ONE OF THE FLEET BUSES AND THE DRIVER HAD TO FREE THE PEDAL BY HAND. ODI CONDUCTED A FIELD VISIT AND CONFIRMED BY INSPECTION THAT PUSHING AT THE PEDAL'S BASE (POSITION NEAREST THE DRIVER) WOULD SOMETIMES ALLOW IT TO STICK AT THE METAL SCUFF PLATE (ON THE FLOOR) WITHOUT RELEASING.A SECOND FLEET WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ODI CONVEYED ITS FIELD FINDINGS TO DAIMLER IN LATE NOVEMBER 2009 AND THEY FILED A SAFETY RECALL (09V-462) ON DECEMBER 1, 2009 OUTLINING THEIRREMEDY PROGRAM.DAIMLER WILL RAISE THE MOUNTING POSITIONOF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL 0.75 INCHES TO RESOLVE THE CLEARANCE ISSUE.DAIMLER IS RECALLING THE SUBJECT VEHICLES PLUS MODEL YEAR 2011.THE ACTION TAKEN BY DAIMLER (THOMAS BUILT)RESOLVES THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDALLed to recall 09V462000
PE06012ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

ELECTRICAL PANEL FIRES

Opened Mar 8, 2006
Closed Jun 15, 2006

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON FOUR ALLEGATIONS OF SCHOOL BUS FIRES IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (PDM) AREA OF THE SUBJECT BUSES.DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI LEARNED THATBUSES BUILT BETWEEN OCTOBER 4, 2004 AND FEBRUARY 14, 2006 WERE EQUIPPED WITH PDM?S MANUFACTURED WITH COPPER CIRCUITS THAT WERE TOO THIN FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOADS ENCOUNTERED, CREATINGOVERHEATING AND THERMAL EVENTS.ALSO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MULTIPLE THERMAL BREAKERS, CLUSTERED TOGETHER ON THE PDM, TOGETHER WITH HEAT GENERATED FROM THE PDM CAN GENERATE ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT THE PDM.ON APRIL 21, 2006, FREIGHTLINER FILED A SAFETY RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.FREIGHTLINER'S REMEDY IS TO REPLACE ALL THE ORIGINAL (THIN COPPER CIRCUIT) PDM?S WITH NEW IMPROVED PDM?S HAVING THICKER COPPER CIRCUITS.ALSO, FREIGHTLINER WILL REPLACE THE THERMAL BREAKERS WITH NON-THERMAL BREAKER OR FUSES. THE RECALL ACTION TAKEN BY FREIGHTLINER RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERSLed to recall 06V136000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

24-13

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID

13_Gentech DEF Coolant-Flow Solenoid, Testing and Replacement_24-13

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Thomas Built Buses Ef by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2012010—
2011010—
2010003—
2009002—
2008102—
2007111—
2006Viewing022—
2005011—
2004011—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.